Air cooler



June 20, 1950 M. B. DAVIDSON AIR cooLER Filed June 17, 1946 ff /7f4 50M/550A INVENToR.

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Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED g STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to air conditioning units and more particularly to air conditioning units for use in vehicles.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide an air conditioning unit so constructed as to be capable of reducing the temperature Within the confines of a vehicle; second, to provide an air conditioning unit so constructed that it will require only a small space for mounting in the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit adequately insulated against the inuence of outside temperatures upon the cooling element within the unit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit having therein baille plates so arranged and spaced that the enforced circuitous route of the air being forced through the unit will provide a prolonged period of cooling said air thus insuring the maximum results.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit for vehicles which lends itself to both cooling and heating the interior of a vehicle.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a cut-away perspective view of an air conditioning unit constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation in fragmentary section of an air -conditioning unit constructed according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation in fragmentary section of an air conditioning unit constructed according to the invention, and

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention with top removed to show diagrammatically the heating coil therein.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawings, reference numeral I denotes the box or container of the air conditioning unit, said box or container having double Walls and a double bottom and a removable cover or top II. The inner walls and bottom of the box Ill deiine a compartment I2 for receiving ice or comparable cooling elements. As insurance against the influences of outside temperatures upon the ice in the compartment I2, the cover II is insulated as indicated by I3 in Figures 1 and 3.

Upon the back end of the container I0 is mounted, by suitable means, a fan I4 for forcing air into, through and out of the unit. Between the double Walls and double bottom of the box I0 are spaced baille plates I 5, the vertical baiile plates extending alternately upwardly from the bottom and downwardly from the top but in each case just a little short of extending the full distance from bottom to top and from top to bottom. All baille plates are xedly attached to the inner and outer walls and bottoms. The obvious purpose of the baille plates I5 being to cause the air, being forced through the unit by the fan I4, to take a longer, more -circuitous route through the unit thus prolonging the period of cooling before reaching a point of egress at I6.

Upon the opposite end of that to which the fan I 4 is mounted, and covering the air exit IB, is suitably mounted a manifold I1 for diverting the flow of air into a hose I8 joined to the manifold I 'I by suitable means at I'Ia. Upon the other end of the hose I8 is attached an element I9 having therein a multiplicity of small apertures 20 for diffusion of the outpouring air. Since the hose I8 is ilexible and may be of any length desired the diffusion element I9 may be placed, at will, anywhere within the vehicle.

In the bottom of the air conditioning unit and extending from the ice compartment I2 downwardly through and outside of the lower bottom of the box I0 is a tubular aperture 2| for draining said ice compartment. Integrally formed in the tubular aperture 2| are apertures 2Ia for draining the sections between the double walls and double bottom of the container Iii. To the outer end of the tubular aperture 2| is attached a iiexible hose 22 for directing the ow of melted ice as may be desired. The bottom of the compartment I2 has corrugations a as a measure to hold ice blocks against movement when the vehicle is in motion.

In Figure 4 is shown a plan View of a modified form of the invention in which the chamber or compartment I2, serves as heating instead of a cooling chamber. Heating coils 23 are extended longitudinally in the chamber I2 and insulated at 24. A heating circuit 25 energizes the coils 23 and it is obvious that air circulated between the walls of the unit will be influenced to higher temperatures upon contact with the inner wall defining the chamber I2.

Manfestly, the construction of such an air conditioning unit as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claim is also considered 3 to be Within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In an air conditioning unit for vehicles, the combination comprising a box having an insulated and removable top, a fan mounted over an opening in one end of said box for forcing air therethrough, an ice compartment Within said box, vertically and horizontally staggered baille plates mounted between the walls and bottom of said 10 box and ice compartment to hold the Walls of the latter in spaced relationship with those of said box and for constraining air passing therethrough to travel in a circuitous course to prolong :the cooling period of said air, an air outlet in the end of said box opposite said fan, a Vlexible hose connected to said outlet at one end and means ,4 at the other end of said hose for diffusing said air and a, common means for draining said unit interiorly and exteriorly of said ice chamber.

MEAD B. DAVIDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lile of this patent:

STATES PATENTS 'Number Name Date 219,131 Whitney Sept. 2, 1879 21,196,169 Stillman Aug. 29, 1916 1,575,482 Hille Mar. 2, 1926 15 1,848,996 Dawson Mar. 8, 1932 2,196,310 Kalin Apr. 9, 1940 

